


care

by carrionkid



Series: tumblr requests 2018 [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics), X-Factor (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Seizures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 13:01:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14811869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrionkid/pseuds/carrionkid
Summary: prompt: rictor/shatterstar, julio goes into a seizure and 'star is trying to helpthis takes place after ric is repowered and just starting to get reacquainted with his powers. it's based off my headcanon that sometimes his power doubles back on himself instead of being released and it manifests in something that looks like seizures.--Julio gets out of bed, Shatterstar can hear his feet against the hardwood floor and rolls over to see him stretching as he yawns. Then, Julio collapses to the floor.Shatterstar is already in motion, struck by the difference between the sound of Julio’s body hitting the ground in comparison to those Shatterstar has canceled. It must be the body composition.





	care

**Author's Note:**

  * For [owljustsitinthecorner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/owljustsitinthecorner/gifts).



Shatterstar does not know much about wound care. He has practiced since coming to Earth, mostly for Julio even if he has told Shatterstar to act as if it is a skill acquired for better team synthesis. The people of Earth are far more easily broken than Shatterstar; he is uncertain what that says of himself.

 

The baseline of his knowledge proved to be lacking. With Shatterstar’s high ratings, he was granted occasional access to medics, a privilege that was most often turned down because of how  _ degrading  _ it is to be cared for. Even now, Julio is the only one allowed to dote, to be affectionate. Pain is far more familiar and he feels lost in its absence.

 

More often than not, Shatterstar would slink back to his cell. Either he would not make it through the night, or he would wake up repaired enough to move before his healing factor ate him alive. The models were cancelled outside of the arena as often as they were in the arena. 

 

It is shameful to die in a cage. Shatterstar is thankful that it is no longer a possibility for him.

 

Shatterstar does not sleep often. It is a requirement for the body, even if he requires less sleep than those around him, but it is not easy to quiet his thoughts. Since waking up from Cortex, it is impossible to stop remembering anything except the gap in playback leading up to reuniting with Julio.

 

Julio stirs next to him, fingers brushing against Shatterstar’s skin without purpose. Perhaps, he is reaching out for the purpose of simply being  _ close  _ to Shatterstar.

 

“I’m gonna get water,” Julio mumbles.

 

Shatterstar is uncertain as to when Julio started announcing his movements as a courtesy. It is unasked for, but not unwelcome. It is not likely he would react well to waking up alone, but that is countered by the fact he rarely sleeps more than a couple of hours.

 

Julio gets out of bed, Shatterstar can hear his feet against the hardwood floor and rolls over to see him stretching as he yawns. Then, Julio collapses to the floor.

 

Shatterstar is already in motion, struck by the difference between the sound of Julio’s body hitting the ground in comparison to those Shatterstar has canceled. It must be the body composition. 

 

Julio is shaking. No, thrashing. Eyes shining white in the grainy darkness. It is as if he is empty, a hollow vessel being forced to move. 

 

Shatterstar smells blood in the air and decides he is going to kill the Scarlet Witch.

 

No. That won’t do. 

 

He needs to be  _ calm.  _

 

He will work out the details of  _ that  _ plan later, once Julio is okay.

 

This has happened before. 

 

Shatterstar has  _ seen  _ it happen before, but he has never known how to help. 

 

He kneels down, places a hand on Julio, who does not react, does not stop  _ moving.  _ Shatterstar rolls him onto his side. It is not a seizure but something similar, something from Julio’s powers. Shatterstar supposes the protocol must be the same. They  _ look  _ the same.

 

Julio’s breathing is clawing, desperate, but at least he is breathing. 

 

Shatterstar does not feel fear often, wishes Julio was  _ here  _ to talk him through it.

 

It still does not feel as if he is  _ here _ . Maybe he isn’t. Maybe there is nothing in his body other than energy. Maybe the Earth is within Julio and Julio is within the Earth. Shatterstar thinks it must be uncomfortable to be trapped within soil.

 

Shatterstar is fairly certain you are supposed to talk, to reassure, with the intent of keeping the person having a seizure calm. It does not seem feasible to talk right now; he settles for vocalizations.

 

Shatterstar has even less for reassurance than he does in any of his languages.

 

Taking the indicator for affirmation, he softens it out into something close to  _ okay.  _ Quiet hum, tongue pressed to the roof of the mouth. Repeated over and over in the hopes  _ okay, okay, okay,  _ is interpreted as  _ it’s okay, you’re okay, we’re okay. _

 

It shifts easily to something rumbling at the back of the throat, halfway to  _ danger  _ with the intention of  _ afraid. _

 

Julio rolls onto his back again, panting.

 

“Hey Star,” his voice is hoarse.

 

He reaches out; Shatterstar covers Julio’s hand with both of his own. It has not been long from start to finish, likely only a few minutes, a fact that is obvious now that Shatterstar has post-crisis clarity.

 

He repeats  _ okay,  _ tone lifting up at the end to mimic Earth’s question intonation.

 

“Yeah, yeah, m’fine. Bit my tongue, but I’m fine.”

 

Eyes closed, Shatterstar responds in clicks. High, at the back of his throat, spread across the roof of his mouth.  _ Relief, _ repurposed from a danger indicator no longer needed. 

 

Julio sits up, pushes his hair back as he groans. Shatterstar stands, offering assistance. Julio takes his hand, letting himself be pulled up until he can lean against Shatterstar.

 

“Come walk with me,” he speaks against Shatterstar’s chest, “I’m not supposed to walk alone afterwards.”

 

Shatterstar hums the affirmation indicator. Julio peels away from him, still holding his hand tightly as they head downstairs. Shatterstar only lets go to pull on shoes, an action Julio does not copy.

 

“Let’s go find a park,” he says after locking the door.

 

Shatterstar has questions, has fears. Ones which are too complex to ask right now and may be too complex to answer. Right now, the priority is Julio. Shatterstar takes his hand again; he’s still shaking but not at a level which would be concerning.

 

“I think there’s one a couple blocks over. I just really need to feel something that isn’t fucking concrete.”

 

Shatterstar does not fully understand Julio or his connection, but understanding is an ever present challenge. One that fills space and gives Shatterstar a goal, a  _ purpose.  _ He likes the closeness even if it is difficult. 

 

He would follow anywhere Julio leads without question. Tonight, that happens to be a park. Shatterstar is uncertain as to what time it is, but hopes it is close to sunrise. He has not tired of that Earth phenomenon even after years of exposure and Julio would only serve to improve the experience.


End file.
